Island News
Local headlines from around the San Juans
Join the Orcas Island School Board
Are you passionate about our schools and the future of Orcas Island students? We invite you to consider serving as the next Orcas Island School District Board Director for District #2! Our schools are at the heart of our island community, and strong school leadership begins with engaged community members who care about the success and well-being of every student. Serving on the Orcas Island School Board is an opportunity to share your […]
Multiple county advisory board & committee seats open
Key positions on the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Clean Water Advisory Committee, Agricultural Resources Committee, and other boards are open San Juan County is seeking volunteers to serve on various boards and committees that help shape daily life in the San Juan Islands. Key positions on the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Clean Water Advisory Committee, Agricultural Resources
Letter to Editor | Katherine Bryant Ingman is full of energy, optimism, determination
I got to know Katherine Bryant Ingman when UW Medicine announced it was no longer going to operate the Lopez Island clinic, leaving islanders scrambling to keep the clinic open. That crucial moment for Lopez showed me Katherine’s grit and determination. As President of the Catherine Washburn Medical Association, owner of the clinic building, Katherine dug in and worked hard to ensure that Lopez had quality health care that matched our needs, at an affordable […]
County DEM seeks public input on disaster preparedness
Complete a short survey The San Juan County Department of Emergency Management (www.islandsready.org) is updating the County’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan, which outlines local natural hazard risks and identifies strategies to reduce their impacts. The current plan is available at: https://www.sanjuanco.com/DocumentCenter/View/21421/HazardMitigationPlan As part of this update, we’re asking San Juan County residents to complete a short survey. It
Siting of essential public facility on Shaw to be reassessed Nov. 24
The siting process for a Public Works Essential Public Facility (EPF) on Shaw Island was reviewed at the October 27, 2026 San Juan County Council meeting.. A public hearing is set for November 24 when the council will reassess the project. Prioritizing time and resources in light of budget constraints and considerable pushback from Shaw […]
Volunteer positions open on county committees
Several key positions on the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Clean Water Advisory Committee, Agricultural Resources Committee, and other boards are open. To see if one of the vacant positions is right for you view all board and committee vacancies here: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/641/Board-Committee-Vacancies. How to Apply Complete the application located on the County’s website: https://sanjuancountywa.gov/2287/Boards-and-Committee-Application. […]
Guest column: What Makes Me Different? Katherine’s Closing Statement
What makes me different, and why should you vote for me? I think it comes down to perspective and experience. I’m part of the next generation trying to build a life here. I’ve rented here in a difficult housing market, worked multiple jobs, and wondered whether my husband and I could afford to stay. We […]
Vote no on ballot initiatives | Letter
We strongly encourage you to vote “no” on ballot initiatives IP26-645, IL26-001, and IL26-638.
Interactive Food System Plan now live on San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild website
By Caitlin Leck
Easements keep the co-op running
Submitted by the Orcas Power & Light Cooperative.
Michael T. Bosworth | Passages
1947–2026
No more funding for war with Iran | Letter
The American public was told that war with Iran is necessary to eliminate the threat to U.S. security posed by a hostile and potentially nuclear-armed regime in that Middle East country. In fact, the conflict has had exactly the opposite effect. Our troops are endangered, the hardliners in Iran have been empowered, and global energy markets are disrupted. Inflation is skyrocketing, fuel prices are through the roof, and medical and nutrition programs have been slashed while billionaires are enjoy
Vote Jennifer Swanson for County Council | Letter
92 percent of the people in Jennifer Swanson’s community voted for her for San Juan County Council in the primary elections. That’s how much she is loved, honored and appreciated by her neighbors. Jennifer also won 20-23 precincts in the primaries which illustrates how much she is respected on all of the islands.
Vote for Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
Katherine is the right person to represent District 3. She’s qualified and experienced at leading this community through unprecedented challenges. She knows what it takes to advocate effectively at local and state levels, and most importantly, she’s lived the issues. She’s worked multiple jobs here to make ends meet, coached and mentored our youth, and led the effort to ensure our access to healthcare. We need her energy, vision, experience, and dedication on Council.
Jennifer Swanson will represent all of San Juan County | Letter
Having served eight years on the San Juan County Council, the Ferry Advisory Committee, and spent 20+ years operating small businesses on Orcas Island, I know the challenges of representing our island communities. That experience is why I am proud to support Jennifer Swanson for San Juan County Council, District 3.
Vote for Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
Among my favorite takeaways from attending Leadership San Juan Islands was my friendship with Katherine Bryant Ingman. She is immediately smart, capable, warm and friendly. Always a first choice for team projects. Rarely in life is someone’s trajectory so clear and so clearly aligned with their being.
Local 1849 endorses County Council and auditor candidates | Letter
Members of AFSCME Local 1849, the union representing San Juan County employees, have endorsed Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council and Heather Lee for County Auditor. The endorsements follow the candidates’ clear commitments to transparent leadership and to the workforce that keep county services running.
Katherine brings leadership and a voice for our future | Letter
I wholeheartedly endorse Katherine. She brings the lived experience, leadership, and commitment needed to help guide our county through the important issues we face. She represents a generation whose voices and futures are vulnerable in our island communities, yet whose presence is essential to the long-term health and vitality of the county. Katherine is an exceptional community advocate who brings both the passion and the skills needed to turn her commitment into meaningful action for our comm
Support for Jennifer Swanson for County Council | Letter
I have known Jennifer for over 20 years. We served on the Shaw Island School Board together for many years and I have admired her quiet and effective leadership. She is one of the best listeners I know and she has an innate ability to carefully process all sides of an issue with empathy, common sense, and humanity. She is a uniter, not a divider, and I enthusiastically support her for county council.
Support for Jennifer Swanson for County Council | Letter
Jennifer Swanson has my wholehearted support for the San Juan County Council, District 3. Jennifer brings an exceptional and effective combination of thoroughness, thoughtfulness, practicality and kindness. She has the rare ability to bring together people with divergent points of view. She’s a pleasure to work with and to know, and her actions inspire trust while helping bring out the best in others.
Join me in voting for Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
Katherine is a leader who listens & collaborates to find solutions that work for the wellbeing of the community. Please join me & vote Katherine Bryant Ingman for Council position #3.
Support for Jennifer Swanson for County Council | Letter
We support Jennifer Swanson for San Juan County Council Position 3.
Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
Dear Islanders, our islands face complex challenges demanding practical solutions and fresh thinking, I am supporting Katherine Bryant Ingman for SJC Council. She’s a candidate whose record shows she knows how to get things done. Her experience comes from years of collaborating directly with islanders of all ages, families, elders, youth, and working people who depend on strong local services. This is the kind of intergenerational leadership SJC needs.
Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
Katherine is a thoughtful and intentional leader who is truly dedicated to serving our island communities. Whether volunteering as a high school track coach or leading the Catherine Washburn Medical Association when the Lopez Clinic sought a new provider, she brings professionalism and a deep care for others to her work. While serving on the WSF Schedule Rewrite Commission, Katherine sought solutions-based strategies to benefit all islanders. It is with deep pleasure that I endorse Katherine for